Hammel



No. 6!4',05I.` Patented Nov. 8, |898.

L. HAMMEL.

BURIAL GASKET.

(Appum'ian mea spfh 1o, 1897.)

(No Model.)

mi L W0 ,.U MAW M UJ y half of the casket.

UNITED STATES LOUIS IAIAMMEL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO MARGARET HAMMEL, OF SAME PLACE.

BU RlAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,051, dated November 8, 1898.

Application filed September 10, 1897. Serial No. 651,204. (N0 model-5 To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, Louis I-IAMMEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burial-Gaskets, of which the following is a specification reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to caskets, and is embodied in a casket of the construction, parts, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a casket, illustrating my improvements and showing it open, one side being turned down, the otherside allowed to remain up. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, showing in full and dotted lines the various positions of the sides and ends of the upper For the sake of convenience I will call the lower portion of the casket A, which is in substantially the form of abox, the box portion or the body portion. Around the top of this box, which is preferably about half the entire height of the casket, I preferably apply the molding B, overhanging the sides of the casket, so that when the sides of the top portion hang down they will clear the box. To the edges of the sides of the box are the hinged side pieces O, and to the upper edges of these side pieces-are the hinged top sections D. Tov the ends are hinged the end sectionsV E. These hinged pieces or sections are adapted to be folded up to form the sides, top, and ends of the upper section of the casket, as plainly shown in Fig. 2, or one or both of these sides may be let down with its top section, as shown in Fig. l, the downhanging side extending vertically, so that a person desiring to approach closely to the casket can do so without having any obstruction offered by these side pieces. The hinges of the top sectionsD are preferably made sufficiently stiff in their operation so that the top section may be stood upright to forma partial background with the other side, as shown in Fig. 1. It will be seen by reference to the drawings that with this construction the casket may be opened half-way down on a horizontal line without detracting from the appearance of the casket itself vand lwithout in any way interfering with close approach thereto, and it may be closed by simply turning the sections upon the hinges.

Any desired form of locking devices may be employed for holding the parts in their closed position. If the sides and top are not desired to be hung down vertically in line, the top may be folded up within or behind the side, as shown in full `lines in Fig. 2, the overhang produced by the bevel or inclined sides of the box and the molding at the top thereof permitting this without any material projection of the side pieces. The joints are suitably beveled where necessary to give the inclination to the side piece and top join ts.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A casket divided longitudinally into an upper and lower section of substantially equal height, the upper section comprising upper side pieces of substantially the width of and hinged to the side pieces of the lower section, and top cover-sections D hinged to the said upper side pieces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A casket divided longitudinally into an upper and lower section of substantially equal height, the upper section comprising upper side pieces of substantially the width of and hinged to the side pieces of the lower section, and top cover-sections D, hinged to the said upper side pieces, said upper side pieces and the side pieces of the lower section being oppositely inclined, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS I-IAMMEL. 

